Pneumatic spray application equipment is well known, and has enjoyed wide commercial success particularly in the construction trades. Specifically, such equipment is commonly used by interior finishing artisans for rapid and uniform deposition of textured ceiling material onto bare ceiling surfaces and the like.
Typically, spray application equipment consists of a source of pressurized air, a pressurized air conduit or line coupled to the source, a spray gun pneumatically coupled to the air line, and a supply hopper coupled to the gun which holds and contains material to be sprayed and deposited by the artisan. Examples of such equipment, accessories therefor, and related devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,945,571 issued to Rash; U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,521 issued to Stankowitz; U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,063 issued to Krause, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,104 issued to Masterson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,054 issued to Mills; U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,351 issued to Otto, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,736 issued to Tryon; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,797 issued to Castellano. A further example of an accessory is found in U.S. Pat. Applic. Public. No. 2002/0014563 of Lucero.
The aforecited patents and other devices known in the art generally provide means for relatively rapid delivery of material onto a desired surface. However, such devices have been problematic in that, for example, the artisan must perform the fatiguing and sometimes hazardous tasks of simultaneously holding and supporting the weight of the spray gun and supply hopper while spraying. Repetitive stress injuries are likely to occur.
Therefore, there exists a need for an ergonomic hopper holder which overcomes the drawbacks of the known devices, and which reduces fatigue and repetitive stress injuries.